Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson will not countenance a late August spending
spree in the event that a takeover deal is sealed before the transfer window
closes at the end of the month.

Speaking after his first competitive home match ended in a comfortable 2-0 win over FK Rabotnicki in the Europa League Hodgson said he would not risk wasting money by buying players he has not thoroughly researched in the event of a late takeover.

Chinese businessman Kenneth Huang and Syrian Yayha Kurdi are among the declared contenders to buy Liverpool from Americans Tom Hicks and George Gillett, with chairman Martin Broughton committed to trying to seal a deal before the end of this month to give Hodgson time to recruit.

The promise of fresh investment from a new owner was one of the factors that helped persuade Fernando Torres to stay at Anfield this season, but Hodgson said he was focused on players the club could afford now, and would thoroughly research more expensive targets should funding arrive.

Manchester City broke the British transfer record with the £32.5m purchase of Robinho on the last day of August 2008 only to regret it, and Hodgson wants to avoid a similar error at Anfield should the club’s circumstances improve.

"We have made a couple of signings so far, we have brought in Joe Cole, Danny Wilson and we hope to bring in at least another couple. We've done our research on the players we are able and capable of signing, on players that Liverpool want right now and you have to remember it is not how much they cost but how good the are.

"The danger would be in a late takeover that the money would be available and we wouldn't have the chance to do our research. If a lot of money did become available as happened at Manchester City and Chelsea in the past, we would make sure we did our research before we started splashing the money around.”

Hodgson hopes to complete the £4m signing of Danish international Christian Poulsen from Juventus after opening talks with his agent yesterday, but he was unable to confirm that he will return with an improved offer for the Middlesbrough goalkeeper Brad Jones after the Riverside club rejected an initial £2 million bid.

Uefa have charged Rabotnicki with improper conduct following allegations of racist abuse in the first leg of their Europa League tie with Liverpool.